Packaged beverages
View Patent ↗A non-tea-based, packaged beverage with a green tea extract mixed therein contains the following ingredients (A) and (B): (A) 0.06 to 0.5 wt. % of non-polymer catechins, and (B) 9 to 13.5 mM of citric acid or a salt thereof. Its pH is from 3.4 to 4.2. The non-tea-based, packaged beverage contains catechins at a high concentration, is reduced in bitterness and astringency, is suited for long-term drinking, and is excellent in the stability of bitterness and astringency and also in the feeling as it passes down the throat, and moreover, its color tone remains stable over a long term even when packed in a clear package and stored at high temperatures.
1. A non-tea based packaged beverage with which a purified product of a green tea extract is mixed,
the beverage comprising 0.06 to 0.5% by weight of non-polymer catechins (A),
the percentage of non-epimers (B) of the non-polymer catechins in the non-polymer catechins (A) being from 5 to 15% by weight after heat sterilization,
the beverage comprising 0.01 to 0.5% by weight of one or more sour seasonings (C) selected from the group consisting of citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, and ascorbic acid,
the beverage comprising 0.01 to 0.5% by weight of one or more pH adjusters (D) selected from the group consisting of a sodium salt and a potassium salt of citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, and ascorbic acid,
the ratio by weight of the component (D)/the component (C) [(D)/(C)] being from 0.5 to 5.0,
the pH of the beverage being 5.1 or less, and
the beverage comprising 0.0001 to 20% by weight of a sweetener (E).
2. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the percentage of non-polymer catechin gallates (F) is from 35 to 50.5% by weight of non-polymer catechins (A).
3. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio by weight of caffeine (G) to the non-polymer catechins (A) [(G)/(A)] is from 0.0001 to 0.16.
4. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the sour seasoning is citric acid and the pH adjuster is trisodium citrate.
5. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a non-fermentation-tea beverage.
6. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a fermentation beverage.
7. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of inositol, thiamine hydrochloride, thiamine nitrate, riboflavin, sodium riboflavin 5′-phosphate, niacin, nicotinic-acid amide, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxy hydrochloride, cyanocobalamine, folic acid, and biotin.
8. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which has a sweetness of 2 or more when the sweetness of saccharose is regarded as 1.
9. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a carbonated drink.
10. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a non-carbonated water.
11. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is an enhanced water.
12. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a functional drink.
13. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a bottled water.
14. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a sports drink.
15. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which is a near water.
16. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , which has a calorie less than 40 kcal/240-mL or less.
17. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the percentage of non-epimers (B) of the non-polymer catechins in the non-polymer catechins (A) being from 8 to 15% by weight after heat sterilization.
18. The packaged beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the percentage of non-epimers (B) of the non-polymer catechins in the non-polymer catechins (A) being from 10 to 15% by weight after heat sterilization.